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1993 Las Vegas production
An abridged production of Starlight Express played at The Hilton Theatre at the Las Vegas Hilton (now known as the Westgate Las Vegas) from 14 September 1993 to 30 November 1997. The production was contracted to run for 5 years, but ended early when the hotel changed owners. Starlight Express was the first permanent production of a legitimate musical theatre show in Las Vegas's history. Creative Team * Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber * Lyrics by Richard Stilgoe * Scenic and Costume Designer John Napier * Associate Scenic Designer Ray Huessy * Sound Designer Graham Carmichael * Lighting Design and Special Effects by Rick Belzer * Automated Lighting Design by Aland Henderson * Conventional Lighting Design by Douglas Cox * Musical Director Jan Rosenberg * Orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber * Conductor Wayne Green * Laser Designs by Floyd Rollefstad * Film Design by Kevin Biles Design * Pyrotechnics developed by John Bordeaux * Production Audio Supervisor Michael Cusick * Technical Supervisor William M. Mensching * Production Consultant Clayton Phillips * Stunt Coordinator Todd Lester * Model Trains Developed by Paul Wolfram and John Graves * Wig and Hair Designs by Bernie Ardia * Company Manager Tony McLean * Production Stage Manager Seth C. Wenig * Resident Artistic Supervisor Preston Simpson * Skate Supervisor Michal Fraley * Assistant Director/Choreographer James Walski * Assistant Choreographer VOYD * Directed and Choreographed by Arlene Phillips * Presented by The Troika Organization and The Las Vegas Hilton in association with Starlight Vegas Company, inc. * Produced by Nicholas Howey, Kenneth H. Gentry and Dallett Norris Production Specifics Originally conceived as a six-month 'sit-down' production using the set from the first US tour, Starlight Express in Las Vegas grew into a bigger budget production locked into a five-year contract. In an attempt to compete with headliner stars, dancing girls in casino shows, and the first "Cirque du Soleil" productions, Starlight Express in Las Vegas would be a shorter, more spectacular version of the show. Several songs were trimmed or cut, and the interval was removed, bringing the running time down to 90 minutes. Stunt routines were added, the audience were invited to 'place their bets' for each race, and the coaches were given a controversial "showgirl" makeover. A few lines were also inserted to place the story on Christmas Eve, with Control's mother telling him that, now that his 'stocking is hung up', it's time to sleep, ahead of the 'big day'. Caboose returns The material largely followed the 'New' Starlight revisions unveiled in 1992, with one change reversed. The production would recycle race footage shot for the first US tour. This created a problem, as Caboose featured in the footage, despite having been removed from the London production. Andrew Lloyd Webber acquiesced and Caboose was reinstated, albeit in a reduced roleFraley, Michal: Skating the Starlight Express (2011), ISBN: 978-1-4583-7432-5. Musical Numbers The coaches' "Rusty, Can't be serious" was replaced by a snappy four lines of dialogue: Hey, listen to the one man band Rusty, you don't understand! You'll be nowhere, you'll be last You ain't going nowhere fast! "A Lotta Locomotion" was trimmed to two verses, the first giving one line to each coach, and the second being Pearl's full introduction. This was followed by Pearl's solo "He'll Whistle at Me". "Coda Freight" and "Hitching and Switching" were reduced to a couple of lines of dialoge and Control explaining the rules. "Crazy" and "Make Up My Heart" appear in full. The Races are staged as location based, eg. "New York to Chicago", "Chicago to Denver" . Control announced "Place Your Bets" - with each engine announcing themselves with reference to the odds, the best bet etc. However, Control mixes his concepts, as while the re-run is staged "Phoenix to Los Angeles", he also decides to use "the Downhill course". The lack of interval was covered by the Rockies ending Rusty's soliloquy "Starlight Express" with "The Rap", with "Hey Rusty, what's up? C'mon Rusty, get tough." "Wide Smile, High Style", cut from the "New Starlight Express", ran with the introduction where Caboose reveals his plans to Greaseball, then Electra, but without the actual song, keeping just enough dialogue to support the plot. This same edit was used in later tours. After the third race, the scene "I Was Robbed" was shortened to Pearl discovering the plot against Rusty, and the Gang beating up Rusty further - Rusty and Caboose's lines were cut. The Rockies, having already interrupted Rusty earlier with "The Rap", do not return for "Right Place, Right Time". Design The production recycled some elements of the first US tour, including the race sequences filmed for that production, and a piece of the set – the starting gate/"bridge". Gallery Weltschaft Hashamoto Electra US93.jpg Electra Components Us93 ACDC.jpg Ensemble Vegas Getty Images 01.jpg Casts Laughing Stock and Starlight Express - Steven Skeels Las Vegas 1993 References Category:Productions